Visions of sugar cookies dance in my head...

I wrote this right before Christmas but I didn't get around to uploading the pics from my camera until this week. Anyway, enjoy some belated Christmas goodies!

Just like last year, I had to make some tasty, festive sugar cookies. Unlike last year, I didn't set aside enough time to decorate them with Royal Icing. Because, as well all know, RI takes about 24 hours to dry. And I only had a few!

So I kinda cheated. I used canned icing. I know, I know. If you're going to go the cake mix way, you still gotta use homemade icing. And normally, I'm all for that. But canned icing doesn't take that long to harden and "crust" and it's still soft when you bite into it. And unlike some recipes that I've used in the past, it doesn't need egg white powder. Something I have, but left in Florida in my apartment.

Anyway, if you melt canned icing in the microwave--but not overheat!!!!!!-- then it thins enough for you to "flood" the cookies-- just like royal icing. Beware, though, that the icing only needs to be heated 5-15 seconds, depending on how much you're melting at one time. If you over heat, it'll spill out of the piping bag too quickly, and it will separate, so you have to wait until it cools so you can stir it all back together. So be careful!!! And of course, use it at room temp for the outlines and details.

These may not be the prettiest cookies ever, but I will tell you that non-professional looking cookies can still taste delicious and professional. And I'll save all of my decorating juices for when I decorate the gingerbread house and make the red velvet cupcakes!